How to Spend 3 Days in Guilin(Top Itinerary Tips)

The bird's view of the Li River

Planning to spend three
days in Guilin, but aren’t sure what to do? Here's a popular and workable plan
to see the highlights of Guilin’s countryside and city in only three days, with
supporting recommendations.

Things to Know Beforehand

Guilin sightseeing can be
divided into three areas: Guilin city, Yangshuo, and the Longji
Terraced Fields. If you have only three days, you are recommended to spend your
time in Yangshuo and Guilin city.

Day 1: Guilin Arrival; Relax in the
City

Guilin is a small city
where you can slow down your travel pace and enjoy some leisurely time,
especially when compared to sightseeing in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an.

On your arrival day, you could
have a rest at your hotel and then set off for a relaxing walk by the ‘Two Rivers
and Four Lakes’ in the downtown area. You could choose to take a day/night
cruise of these waterways. The night scenery is beautiful, and it makes a great
way to unwind.

The nearby Zhengyang
Pedestrian Street is a good place for buying souvenirs and having a dinner. Here
are some recommended restaurants:

Chongshan Rice Noodles
Restaurant (崇善米粉):
one of the most famous local restaurants for rice noodles

Yu Ren Matou (愚人码头): offering Chinese and
Western food and a beautiful Li River view

There are many hotels
around the area of ‘Two Rivers and Four Lakes’. Many of them are within
10-minutes’ walk, such as Sheraton Guilin, Lijiang Waterfall Hotel,
and Guilin Park Hotel.

Day 2: Li River Cruise and Yangshuo Countryside
Tour

Li River Cruise

Enjoy the highlights of many
a Guilin tour: a Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, and a half-day
countryside tour of Yangshuo.

Morning: Li River Cruise

In the morning, head to
Zhujiang Wharf (30 km or 20 miles southeast of downtown Guilin) to board the
cruise. There is no public bus from downtown Guilin to the wharf and a taxi costs
about 120 RMB for the 50 minutes' drive there. A private tour with a private
driver and car would make your journey smooth and efficient.

Along the 84-km (52-mile) stretch
of the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo, you can relax as you glide through the
picturesque natural river scenery of lush limestone peaks. All you need to do
is to get ready for photograph opportunities.

Insider
tip: Currently,
either 3-star or 4-star riverboats are available for the Li River cruise. The
4-star boats are the best. They offer more spacious seats and serve a buffet
lunch. We only arrange 4-star boats for our customers. See more information on The Li River.

Please remember to book your
cruise tickets in advance, especially during high season. On our private tours,
we will take care of it.

Afternoon: Explore the Yangshuo Countryside

Tandem is suitable for couples.

You will arrive at Yangshuo
at around 2pm, having had a buffet lunch on the cruise boat, and you can make
the most of the rest of the day to explore the countryside of Yangshuo. The
most popular ways to explore are by bike or electric scooter.

If you’d prefer not to bike,
we can arrange a countryside tour by private vehicle for you. We could include a
short hike (about 1–2 hours) along the riverside and through the local
villages.

A Yangshuo countryside tour
will give you the chance to get close to Guilin’s nature and learn about local
life.

Night Activities

West Street in Yangshuo

In the evening, you can
find a local restaurant in West Street to taste the most famous local dish — beer
fish (a local fish fried in local beer) and then unwind in a bar or café.

You can also enjoy a night
show called Impression Liu Sanjie, a performance on the Li River telling a
traditional Zhuang minority story.

You can choose to stay in
Yangshuo or return to Guilin. A private car can make the return journey conveniently
and smoothly in around 1½ hours.

Day 3: Guilin City Tour and
Departure

You are recommended to book
a flight in the late afternoon or early evening so that you can have enough time
to do some sightseeing in Guilin city.

Elephant Trunk Hill in Guilin

You can see the amazing
karst hills and caves such as:

Elephant
Trunk Hill — the most iconic limestone hill in Guilin city, shaped like a elephant
drinking from the Li River

Reed
Flute Cave —
an outstanding karst cave containing a large number of stalactites and
‘mites that will extend your imagination with their imaginative names and
interesting stories

If you prefer ancient
sites, you can visit an ancient waterway Ling Canal (an hour’s drive from
Guilin) or Daxu Ancient Town (20 minutes’s drive from Guilin) instead. You can
read more on our Ancient Guilin
Tour.

Explore Guilin with a Local
Specialist!

Enjoy a relaxing Guilin with us.

Based in Guilin since 1998,
we at China Highlights are your specialists for tailor-made Guilin and China
tours.

Our Guilin
tours are designed based on two decades of experience and
feedback with the best attractions, restaurants, and hotels, and are fully
customizable to your requirements.

We can tailor-make an
exclusive tour of Guilin and anywhere else in China you would like to go.